My personal forum for discussing whatever I feel like, but it's usually related to my faith.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

The Church's Support of Nondiscrimination Ordinance

I wonder how many people will either misunderstand the Church's position, or will simply use this as an opportunity to persecute in blatant denial of the facts.

The Church responded to the Salt Lake City Council's new ordinance which protects same-sex partners against discrimination in housing and employment issues. This is a necessary move because of constitutional challenges, but it's the right thing to do regardless.

Quoting the website: The Church said that while protections in housing and employment were fair and reasonable, the Church also remains “unequivocally committed to defending the bedrock foundation of marriage between a man and a woman.” Otterson also pointed out that this position was “entirely consistent with the Church’s prior position on these matters.”

Otterson added, “I represent a church that believes in human dignity, in treating others with respect even when we disagree — in fact, especially when we disagree.”

I like Otterson's comment. But I wonder how many people will use this as an attempt at persecution and say the Church is waffling in the face of social pressures.

That is rediculous, because the official statement is clear that we respect their rights even if we do not agree with their lifestyle. It's not like we are ordaining gay priesthood members, etc. Let's see how Satan uses his earthly disciples to twist the truth.

Why does the church "respect [gay] rights even if [the church does] not agree with their lifestyle" when they church is pressured constitutionally, but the church opposes gay rights (marriage) when they feel they can get away with it?

I can see this heading to another revelation just as with polygamy and black civil rights if the church's tax free status is ever threatened again.

You are confusing the issues, and you either don't really understand the gay marriage issue or are willfully ignoring it. The church respects the rights of people to live the way they want. The marriage amendment does not prevent people from living in gay relationships. And the church would not deny them of social benefits because of their lifestyle. That's the whole point of the non-discrimination ordinance. But the gay marriage issue is not about letting them be married. It's about how the redefining of marriage deprives everyone else of rights, particularly the rights of mainstream, Christian families to practice their beliefs without government intrusion. You need to do more research on this one because it's clear that you are only looking at it from a "rights" or "equality" viewpoint, which is actually irrelevant to the genuine issue of why we oppose gay marriage.

How exactly would legal gay marriage intrude on the rights of "Christian" people to practice their religion?

Right now, temple marriages do not require an annulment if the couple has been divorced civilly. The Church today continues to permit men to marry subsequent wives in LDS temples. Many of these subsequent marriages are sealings – intended to endure throughout eternity. The Church teaches that men sealed in LDS temples to more than one woman today will practice polygamy throughout eternity.

None of this in impacted at all by the fact that polygamy is illegal in the US. The government only recognizes civil marriage. Legal gay civil marriage will never compel the church to allow gay temple marriage. It can't take away any rights from church members.

The real issue? How is giving people the same rights you enjoy going to take your rights away?

That link - absolute insanity. All of that pro-family, anti-family garbage. Everyone has a family. Everyone is a member of a family, even gay people. The church seems to forget that.

I don't understand how these people can actually believe that people can be talked into changing from heterosexual to homosexual. That shows the utter lack of understanding of human sexuality. Even Mormons are beginning to understand. All those years telling gay kids to marry women anyway has not changed them. It's just left women and kids stunned when their husband and spouse tell them they are gay and always have been. BYU tried shocking the genitals of gay youth when showed gay porn in aversion therapy. It doesn't work, because you are born gay or straight. You don't ever decide. There is no risk that straight kids will choose to be gay. That's insane.

Interesting piece on Mitt Romney on that site BTW.massresistance.org/romney/